The Information Destruction Section of the British Security Industry Association (BSIA) held the premiere of its first promotional video at IFSEC, showcasing the role of information destruction.
Failure to destroy confidential information efficiently can have far-reaching implications for individuals and businesses, the association says, should the information fall into the wrong hands. Individuals’ credit scores can be seriously damaged, and organisations risk financial and reputational losses. In fact, recent research by accountancy firm KPMG revealed a rise in identity fraud throughout 2012, with the cost of this crime more than doubling in value to £26.3m.
According to a recent BSIA survey which questioned key workers in the healthcare sector – including consultants, doctors, senior managers, facilities managers and IT managers – one in four healthcare professionals reported that their organisation had been the subject of some form of data breach.
Last year, a survey of educational professionals found that 79pc of respondents believed that the threat posed by lost or inadequately disposed of data had either increased or stayed the same over the previous 12 months. To add to this, only 34pc of schools confirmed that they were using a professional company to oversee the destruction of their confidential data.
These figures show that there is no room for complacency in any sector when it comes to information destruction, and the BSIA’s new video serves to inform decision makers of the responsibilities they have when it comes to selecting an information destruction provider.
Anthony Pearlgood, Chairman of the BSIA’s Information Destruction Section, said: “The importance of sourcing an information destruction company should not be underestimated in any organisation, and effective information destruction should always be high on the agenda. It is important that key decision makers do not make these choices lightly, and are sure to source a reputable supplier that meets the relevant standards.”
“Our new video not only showcases the value of our industry, shredding over 400,00 tonnes of confidential paper a year, but also explains the standards that high quality suppliers should be adhering to – all of which BSIA Information Destruction members meet.”
The new video can be viewed on the BSIA’s YouTube channel here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbzTlxPs9S4
To find out more about the Information Destruction Section of the BSIA, visit – http://www.bsia.co.uk/information-destruction/about-bsia-information-destruction.
